271401 Gender differences in bullying and suicide attempts among U.S. High School students

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 1:35 PM - 1:50 PM

Dr. Joy P. Nanda, DSc, MS, MHS, MBA , Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Eileen Sousa, MPH Candidate , School of Allied Health and Life Sciences, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
Justice Mbizo, DrPH , School of Allied Health and Life Sciences, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
Monica Nanda, MS, PhD Student , Dept. of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Kenari Guest, BS, MPHc , Master of Public Health Program, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
Bullying can have adverse health consequences. Recent research suggests that students who were bullied in school had contemplated or completed suicide. School health authorities therefore need to evaluate bullying victims for suicide ideation or attempts.

We evaluated bullying during the past 12 months to predict suicide attempts (SA) among U.S. high school students. We also compared gender differences in the bullying-SA relationship.

We analyzed the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) data, The YRBS surveyed 16,410 representative students on bullying in school and SA during last 12 months. Additional data gathered included demographic, BMI, lifestyle, and school violence (DBLV). Survey design effects were adjusted during all analyses. Multiple logistic regression(MLR)analyses provided the odds of SA after controlling for DBLV covariates.

Almost 20% of students were bullied and 6.3% reported SA. About 14% who were bullied, and 4% of those not bullied, reported SA (p<0.001). Bullying was greater among females than males (8.1% vs. 4.6%, p<0.001). About 18% females, vs. 10% males who were bullied, reported SA (p<0.001) In MLR analyses, bullied students had a 63% greater odds (OR:1.63, 95%CI:1.35-1.96) of SA than non-bullied students. Females had 55% greater odds of SA (O.R. 1.55, 95% CI: 1.2-2.6) than males. Females who were bullied had 88% greater odds of SA (O.R. 1.88, 95% CI: 1.50-2.35) than non-bullied students. Bullying did not predict SA among male students.

High school female students who were bullied had greater odds of SA than males. School health programs should therefore be designed to target this group.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1.To discuss the relationship between bullying and suicide attempts among high school students in the U.S. 2.To evaluate predictors of suicide attempts among U.S. high school students who were bullied during the past 12 months 3.To compare gender based difference in bullying-suicide attempt relationship among high school students in the U.S.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Suicide

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been trained as an MCH epidemiologist and have conducted epidemiological research on women's and children's health during the past 30 years and have taught epidemiology for the past 10 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3230.0: Pediatric and Adolescent Epidemiology 1